FILIPINO software engineers can look forward to more job openings as a Japanese tech company has just expanded its operations in Cebu.
Sansan Global Development Center Inc., a Japanese provider of cloud-based business solutions, launched its new software development hub in Cebu Business Park, Lahug, Cebu City last week.
The new hub can house about 100 IT professionals and office staff, and features recreational spaces to encourage connection, communication and relaxation among employees.
“We are creating IT jobs for Filipinos and supporting the local economy of Cebu. The Philippines remains an attractive global hub for international companies, with Cebu notably offering a high-level of IT education and a large pool of talented engineers,” said Jay Pegarido, director and country manager of Sansan Global.
The expansion comes as Sansan Global nears its milestone of 50 software developers, with plans to further increase its workforce to 100 by May 2024.
This is in line with the accelerated overseas product expansion of one of its flagship services, Bill One, an online invoice receiving solution where vendors can upload, email, or post their invoices.
The software then receives, digitizes and adds the invoices to a cloud database, where users can then approve, pay and manage invoices.
The app is continuously being developed in the Philippines and has been made available in Japan, Singapore and Thailand.
“We are excited to continue our recruitment drive for the best tech talent we can find as we work toward improving our overseas development environment. I encourage talented IT experts to apply for roles at Sansan’s Cebu center,” Pegarido said.
The launching was graced by Kenji Shiomi, director, president and co-founder of Sansan Global Development Center Inc.; Shigemoto Fujikura, CTO and head of Sansan Inc.’s overseas support team; and Yoshinori Washizu, CEO and founder of Athlee Pte. Ltd.
Giving back
Pegarido said that bringing Sansan Global to Cebu was his personal way of giving back to the city where he grew up and where he finished his bachelor’s degree in computer engineering at the University of San Carlos.
Pegarido has worked in Japan, Singapore and Canada for more than two decades in various capacities: as systems analyst, web developer, IT manager, general manager and COO of different tech companies.
“People ask why I came back to the Philippines. I realized that while I was there, I was already given a chance to hire people from my country. I think this is my calling; help provide jobs to my fellowmen,” he said.
The opportunity came in 2012 when the president of Sprasia Inc., where Pegarido was working at the time as an IT manager, expressed his intention of expanding outside Japan. It was then that Pegarido returned to Cebu to establish Sprobe, an IT outsourcing company.
“I hope to help my fellow Filipinos. It was my goal when I returned here with my wife,” he said.
Leveraging on the shortage of software engineers in Japan, Pegarido hoped to shift the job opportunity to Filipinos. With Sansan Global, he oversaw the fusion of Japanese and Filipino determination, benchmarking with Japanese best practices to create a business infrastructure for companies around the world.
